UNESCO NEWS
- Heart’s Content UNESCO Community Rural Development Committe
News/2024
Over the past year our UNESCO committee has been actively engaged with our community partners in identifying projects that we need completed to be ready for UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE STATUS co-chaired by Clarence Brown and Glenda Hiscock.
There are several projects that we are working on, and of course this all depends on funding from ACOA and IET, and most important acquiring ownership of the lands around the Hopkins landing area.
- Hopkins Landing – phase 1 and phase 2 are needed to safely welcome Cruise ship visitors to our town and visitors entering our Registered Heritage District via Bus or car.
- Pleasure walking through the town (sidewalks etc.)
- Sense of arrival Stations coming into the town at the lighthouse lookout. (rest stops)
- Lighthouse land upgrades and Bathroom facilities.
- LTOs for trails to the mizzen and the lousy rock.
- Tourism opportunity sessions.
During our visit to Valentia, Ireland in June we had several workshops to identify what we can do together and a new committee was formed between Valentia, Ireland and Hearts Content, Newfoundland called the Community Project Initiative Committee and we meet Virtually every month to discuss new ideas.
We hope to share branding opportunities and culture exchange between the communities.
Presently we are working on 360-degree Virtual experience where visitors entering both cable stations can visit the other station virtually.
There are also plans to have the lighthouses in Valentia and Hearts content included.
Also, a school program is being worked on to promote our history to children in our school system.
The main part of everything we do is collaboration between Valentia and all our municipalities in the Trinity conception area.
Attracting new Tourism businesses to the area, using and sharing the assets that all our communities in the area have to offer, will also play a big part in our mandate.
We are doing Tourism opportunities sessions with Municipalities, lSDs and businesses in Collaboration with Tourism, Hospitality NL and Legendary Coasts and soon Tourism Ireland.
TCAR/PROVNCIAL HISTORIC sites will be giving the Town of Hearts Content an update on our UNESCO progress in the next couple of weeks
UNESCO COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS GLENDA HISCOCK, CLARENCE BROWN
- Hearts Content & Valentia Ireland Community Partnership Committee
Development of a Community Partnership Committee has been formed for the Town of Hearts Content and Valentia Ireland related to the designation of The Cable Stations as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The committee was formed just after the Newfoundland Delegation attended meetings in June 2024 in Ireland.
The purpose of the committee is to foster growth and communication for the UNESCO designation with branding and collaboration for culture exchange. Member will meet via video conference monthly.
Committee Members:
- Leonard Hobbs- Chairperson Valentia Cable Foundation/ Intel Ireland
- Lucian Horvat – Valentia Island Development Company
- Siobhan Griffin – Kerry County Council
- Deidre Murphy- Valentia Island -Industry Development Officer
- Glenda Hiscock- Deputy Mayor, Town of Hearts Content
- Scott Andrews- Manager, Provincial Historic Sites, Tourism, Culture, Arts & Recreation
- Tara Bishop – Hearts Content Cable Station, Site Supervisor Provincial Historic Sites
- Clarence Brown- Town of Hearts Content Councilor, Hearts Content Development Corp.
- Valerie Whelan- Town of Hearts Content Councilor
- Tolson Rendell- Town of Hearts Content Councilor
- Jennifer Brown- Industry Development Officer, Hearts Content Cable Station
- Saturday Supplement
During a recent trip to Valentia, Ireland, to connect on UNESCO joint issues, a delegation from NL Dept of Tourism, Provincial Historic Sites, and Town of Heart’s Content were in attendance.
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- Newfoundland Delegation In Valentia To Discuss Transatlantic Cable Project
The Valentia Island Development Company and the Valentia Transatlantic Cable Foundation, in partnership with Kerry County Council, were delighted this week to welcome a delegation from Newfoundland who are visiting Valentia as part of the UNESCO Heritage project.
The delegation was led by the Honourable Steve Crocker, Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation and also included a number of his officials and members of the local community from the town of Hearts Content.
This is a return visit as Hearts Content has received a delegation from Kerry in August of 2023. The activities this week for the delegation included a tour of the many sites associated with the Transatlantic Cable project, visiting the Cable Station, Foilhummerum Bay, Glanleam House and the Heritage Centre.
The delegation also visited the LightHouse and the School at Chapeltown where they presented the School with a copy of an MOU signed in September 2022 during Minister Crocker’s last visit to “ create a framework for cooperation and coordination between the two governments concerning the UNESCO World Heritage nomination for the Transatlantic Cable Ensemble “.
The delegation were the guests of honor at a community reception at the Cable Station which was addressed by Minister Crocker and outgoing Cathaoirleach of Kenmare MD, Norma Moriarity.
The teams from both sides of the Atlantic will be collaborating this week in agreeing the joint management structure and milestones for the UNESCO inscription journey. In addition a community partnership workshop will be conducted to explore shared interests and identify joint projects which could have a socio-economic impact in both communities.
The delegation will be departing mid week for Dublin and their final item will be a reception at the Canadian Embassy.
Steve Crocker, left, Newfoundland Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation with Cathaoirleach Kenmare Municipal District Norma Moriarty, Helen Barry-O’Connor, Deirdre Murphy, Kerry County Council, Leonard Hobbs, Chairman Valentia Cable Project, Scott Andrew, Newfoundland Delegation, Siobhan Griffin, Kerry County Council, Niamh O’Sullivan, Kerry County Council, Gerry Osmond, Assistant Minister Arts, Culture and Heritage, John Knightly, Valentia Cable Project. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
- The Trans-Atlantic Cable
- Important step made in efforts to gain UNESCO World Heritage Status for Valentia
An important step has been made in efforts to secure UNESCO World Heritage status for Valentia Island.
The 19th century construction of the transatlantic cable between Valentia and Heart’s Content in Newfoundland, Canada was ground-breaking in the history of global communications.
On a visit to Valentia, the Minister of Tourism and Culture for Newfoundland and Labrador signed a memorandum of understanding with Irish representatives including Kerry County Council.
